All Alone on Christmas

Troy rushed across the busy intersection coolly gliding through the people casually mingling in the crowded streets. He stopped; wrapping his scarf, tighter against his face, as he felt a sharp draft cutting through the air. He hurried along the paved street, when something caught his attention. It was Christmas music he glanced around the area trying to hoping to find the source of the fun and cheery tunes. Troy stopped, as he approached one of the pavilions across from the mall spotting a crowd.

He headed over towards the crowd of people gathered, he stood back listening to the jeering carolers. Their joyous tunes filled his ears, and soon Troy found himself swaying a bit to their jingles...

After a while, the carolers ceased their tunes and the crowd soon dispersed, he watched all the couples and families till they disappeared from his sight leaving him all alone.

Troy sighed; this was a scenario that he was all too familiar with. After-all he spent several years on his own, having to take care of himself. So being alone really didn't bother him all that much, in a sense, in fact he reveled in solitude. It bought about a sense of peace and comfort especially during this time of the year when people usually are spending it with their family and close friends. Christmas was always a difficult time for Troy to get through. He spent many times, sheltered inside of a foster home, wishing he was anywhere but there. During the rare times, when he lived with a foster family; Troy still didn't feel liked he belonged. In fact he still vividly remembered the first time he would have to spend Christmas without his parents. It was a difficult for him to say the least and Christmas after that had never been the same, it was as if all the joy and cheer and spirit left Troy. From that time, on life seem to have lost all its meaning and the only thing that revived his spirits was martial arts. Besides the discipline, and the ability to defend himself martial arts taught Troy how to cope with the pain, misery, and anger along with the apathy he held towards life.

But, then all that changed the moment he moved to Harwood County. Troy thought this would be another typical move, and once again he would have to go through the notions of being picked on because he was the new kid in school. But, Troy had no idea how his world would be turned on his head. Starting with that the dreams of some great war, to becoming a Power Ranger, and leading the team, a job that he had trained for his entire life according to Master Gosei. The thing that shocked him the most was how Jake, Noah, Gia and Emma welcomed him with open arms. They graciously accepted him into their inner circle, and the more time Troy spent with them it felt like they had known each other all their lives. He felt innately drawn to their presences, and wanting to know them better, something that he often shied away from.

Troy was certainly not used to having such caring and attentive friends. It was hard for him to make friends, because every time he would make a friend, Troy found himself being shuffled around to another adoption agency or being sent to live with another foster family.

After a while, he stopped himself from becoming so emotional invested in the idea of having friends or caring about life for the matter after all what was the point?

Over time Troy enjoyed that people couldn't read his emotions or figure out what he was thinking or feelings. Being stoic and unassuming became his way of coping with losing the people in life that he cared for. It also became his survival mechanism, besides martial arts which he loved, Troy's indifferent nature towards others helped him escape all the taunting and bullying including the recent incident with some bullies at school and the biggest bully that he ever faced.

Creepox.

But at the same time Troy realized that holding all his emotions inside was not necessarily a good thing. All that displaced anger, apathy and frustrations that he acquired throughout his life, really needed an outlet. But, there was a part of him that did want to tell his friends about his life and what he has gone through; however at the same time by opening up that door, he would be allowing them to step inside and see his past.

The thing was that, what if they asked questions, how could he answer their questions if he were seeking the answers himself?

Troy sighed; turning his attention over to the tree in the center of one of the pavilion watching the colorful lights flickering back and forth. Although he knew for certain that he wasn't ready to tell his friends about his past, but he was happy that they were helping them break out of the protective shell he shielded himself with. Peeling away that shell, did leave him vulnerable but he was slowing learning that exposing himself to his friends was actually good thing. He hadn't realized the consequences that came with opening himself up, because sometimes he would feel the stabs of jealousy at the closeness, and the bonds that Jake, Noah and Gia and Emma shared with each other. It was clear that Noah and Jake despite their differences were child-hood friends, and that they had gone through some tough times, together and had each other's backs through thick and thin like Gia and Emma.

Troy honestly missed that kind of bond he had with his friends. He wasn't always a loner, he too was once a very boisterous, kid that loved playing outdoors, and enjoyed the company of his friends, but all that changed the moment he lost his parents and became a foster child. Over time Troy came to realization that the past, was the past and he had come to accept that there was nothing he could do to change it, the only thing he had control over was the way he reacted towards it. That's why he tried so hard to fight the jealousy and envy that would rear its ugly head, because for the first time since his parents' passing he befriended people who were helping him to get over his fear of opening his heart and sharing his feelings.

For the first time in a very a long time, Troy was happy that he wouldn't be spending Christmas alone, or in some foster home, or even with some foster family he was getting the chance to spend Christmas with his close friends and the idea of that made him really happy.

"Troy?!"

Troy turned; stepped out his internal thoughts searching for the voice's source.

"Jake!" he cried happily spotting his friends.

He saw Jake and behind him saw Noah trailing close behind him.

"Hey guys!" Troy said.

"What's up dude?!" Jake said slapping his hand.

"Not much."

"How's it going Troy?"

"Good…" he replied.

"Hey...what are you doing out here alone?" Noah asked looking around the empty pavilion.

"Oh…I was just standing here thinking…about…" Troy trailed off looking around.

"Thinking about what?" Noah inquired with curiosity.

"I know what you're thinking about?" Jake said cutting in.

Both he and Noah turned their attention over to Jake, he was anxious to hear what he had to say since Jake could supposedly read minds now.

"I bet you were standing out here thinking about something that happened during a battle…or the Vrak or something…right?" Jake guessed.

Troy chuckled; shrugging his shoulders. Silly Jake that was a plausible guess but that wasn't actually what he was thinking about but he decided to go along with his assertion.

"Yeah…something like that," Troy replied with a sly smirk.

Jake let out a long sigh, "dude…you worry too much…right now…we should be enjoying Christmas time with all of our family and close friends, and all the good food and not to mention all the presents!" he cheered wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Of course," Troy answered with laughter.

"Guys…what are we waiting for?" Noah asked walking past them, "we need to hurry and get over to Ernie's I think the girls are waiting for us."

"Cool…let's go shall we," Jake said trotting ahead.

"C'mon slow poke!" Jake jokingly jibed turning back to him.

Troy smiled; hurrying to catch up. Shifting all his thoughts aside, determined to make this his best Christmas yet.